Electronic devices include internal components that generate heat. Some of these internal components include a central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU) and/or memory. Some of these internal components can generate a lot of heat. Specifically, a high performance CPU and/or GPU of an electronic device can generate a lot of heat, especially when performing data intensive operations (e.g., games, processing video).
To counter or dissipate the heat generated by the CPU and/or GPU, an electronic device may include a heat dissipating device, such as a heat spreader. FIGS. 1-3 illustrate an example of a mobile device that includes a heat spreader for dissipating heat generated by a chip. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the mobile device 100 includes a display 102, a back side surface 200, a die 202, and a heat spreader 204. The die 202 and the heat spreader 204, which are both shown with dotted lines, are located inside the mobile device 100. The die 202 is coupled to a first surface of the heat spreader 204. A second surface of the heat spreader 204 is coupled to a first surface (e.g., inner surface) of the back side surface 200.
FIG. 3 illustrates a profile view of the mobile device 100 that includes the heat spreader 204. As shown in FIG. 3, the mobile device 100 includes the display 102, the back side surface 200, a front side surface 300, a bottom side surface 302, and a top side surface 304. FIG. 3 also illustrates a printed circuit board (PCB) 306, the die 202 and the heat spreader 204 inside the mobile device 100.
As further shown in FIG. 3, a first side of the die 202 is coupled to a first surface of the PCB 306. A second side of the die 202 is coupled to a first surface of the heat spreader 204. A second surface of the heat spreader 204 is coupled to a first surface (e.g., inner surface) of the back side surface 200. In this configuration, almost all of the heat that is generated by the die 202 is dissipated through the heat spreader 204 and the back side surface 200 of the mobile device. However, the heat spreader 204 has limitations, including its limited heat dissipating capabilities.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved method and design for efficiently dissipating heat from an electronic device (e.g., mobile device), while at the same time keeping the temperature of the outer surface of the electronic device within a threshold that is acceptable to a user of the electronic device. In addition, there is a need for reducing the junction temperature of a heat generating region.